‘I’ve got a very nice position in the CBD,’ Elizabeth went on. ‘It’s for three months and it’s a full-time position.’
‘I’ll get back to you.’ Alina said, when usually she’d have jumped at the chance of three months’ full time work.
She should have stood her ground with Demyan, Alina knew that. She knew she should have had a little more faith in them.
But, simply, she didn’t.
When the doorbell rang her heart leapt in foolish hope. She peered out of the window and saw the silver of Demyan’s car.
She almost wept in relief as she opened the door but instead of Demyan it was Boris with a leather-bound folder.
‘Mr Zukov has asked for the return of any keys and also the elevator pass.’
‘Of course.’ She got them from her bag and signed them over.
‘He’ll organise the leased paintings to be returned once the property sale has been confirmed.’
‘Leased?’
He handed her a contract.
When it was over with Demyan it was completely over.
‘That’s not necessary.’
Alina took the paper, and stared at it for a moment.
‘Could you pass on a message?’ Alina asked.
‘Of course.’
‘Remind him that the seemingly worst PA in living memory had his home sold in just over a week.’
She closed the door but less than twelve hours after she’d denied him she was calling his phone—she didn’t need Boris to pass on her messages, she would tell him herself.
Of course Demyan had blocked her number and it hurt, it hurt like hell, it hurt way more than it had when her father had done the same.
He had severed every avenue.
* * *
Over the next couple of weeks Alina became almost as superstitious as Demyan.
If she turned off her phone and didn’t check it for an hour, with no cheating, he’d call her.
He didn’t.
If she was cheerful and happy at the restaurant, maybe she’d turn around and find him watching her.
It never happened.
She turned down another job offer from Elizabeth but, the golden PA she was now, Elizabeth persisted.
‘Two months’ work in London?’ Elizabeth offered. ‘It’s an amazing package, actually...’ And Alina listened as she heard she’d be flown there and her rent would be paid, because with Demyan’s reference behind her there was nothing she could not achieve.
‘No, thank you.’
‘We have had a call though that you might be able to deal with. Apparently he left a jacket at a property in the Blue Mountains.’ Alina frowned. As far as she could remember, his jacket had been in the car. ‘Normally you’d tell people to post it, but given it’s Demyan I’m sure he’d expect the golden gloves. It will add up to four hours’ work for you. If you want to drive over and get it I can ask where to forward it.’